The European Union and the United States continue negotiations on the transfer of passenger name record data

Press release 396/2006
2 October, 2006

The EU Presidency, assisted by the Commission, negotiated with the United States in Washington D.C. on 28-30 September on the temporary agreement concerning the processing and transfer of Passenger Name Record(PNR) data. This was the fourth round of negotiations between the parties. The negotiations were conducted in a constructive manner, and the parties found consensus on the essential content of the agreement. In conjunction with the negotiations, however, the U.S. expressed issues which related to, among other things, the squaring of EU data protection requirements with the amended U.S. legislation. It is, therefore, necessary to address the matter within the EU during this week. Negotiations with the U.S. will be continued as soon as possible.

The purpose of the temporary PNR agreement is to replace the contractual arrangements made between the European Community and the United States in 2004. As a consequence of an action for annulment filed by the European Parliament, the European Court of Justice revoked said arrangement in May 2006. In consequence of the judgment of the European Court of Justice the validity of the previous arrangement expired on 30 September. Finland as the EU Presidency appeals to the United States to comply with the data protection Undertakings made in 2004 for the time being, although the agreement has expired. For now, the expiration of the agreement is not believed to affect air traffic between EU countries and the United States.

Further information: Irma Ertman, Director General, tel. +358 9 1605 5700, and Marcus Laurent, Deputy Director General, tel.+358 9 1605 5701, Legal Department